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As brilliant now as ever

The band are now all in their late 30s and early to mid 40s, a far cry from the teenage Flowers who founded the group in 2001.

But while lesser groups may be well past their prime, if anything their set this evening showed how much The Killers have grown as a band.

For many of us, some of the tracks may have felt like nostalgic throwbacks to adolescent angst and teenage parties.

Flowers is as much of a star in 2019 as he was with the band's first success in 2003 (Image: BBC iPlayer)

But there was a suitable blend of old and newer tracks, which showed not only how much the group's sound has shifted, but also how skilled they continue to be.

From Spaceman to Dustland Fairytale, their time on the Pyramid Stage was grounded in a confidence they have earned over their near two decades in the industry.

The ultimate tease

For anyone who has been to a party, nightclub, or generally a part of modern society since 2003 - Mr Brightside is canon.

It was the band's debut single, from their debut studio album and - apart from being their most popular song as a band - it continues to be one of the most popular songs in modern music history.

It perhaps came as a surprise when Flowers walked up to a keyboard and innocently played the opening few notes, only 20 minutes into their set.

But with a song as highly anticipated as Mr Brightside, it made no sense to save it until the end.

This is the first time the band have headlined the festival since their 2007 appearance, which was marred by technical issues and sound difficulties (Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)

So after those first few notes, Flowers looked up to the audience and earnestly asked: "Are we on the same page?"

He returned to the keyboard, before asking once more: "Are we speaking the same language or what?"

Met with rapturous applause, the band went on to deliver their best track - complete with over 100,000 people singing alongside them.

This wasn't the only moment the group kept fans waiting.

Shortly before launching into All These Things That I've Done the group held a continuous note for what felt like several minutes, as Flowers soaked up the atmosphere and the crowd remained utterly gripped.

A second chance

The Killers first headlined Glastonbury in 2007, in between releasing their second and third studio albums - Sam's Town and Day & Age.

But their Glasto debut was marred by sound issues and unforeseen technical restrictions.

They went on to describe this as one of the biggest disappointments of their career.

Tonight was their second chance to conquer Glastonbury once and for all.

It's safe to say they absolutely nailed it, with precision and flair underpinning their set.

Brandon Flowers and special guest: Johnny Marr of The Smiths (Image: BBC iPlayer)

The band have always had a huge following in the UK, with BBC Radio 1 premiering Mr Brightside in 2003.

They began touring London and the UK before they had even been signed in the US, meaning their relationship with their British fans has always been meaningful.

In fact the first time Flowers's sons saw the band perform was in London's Hyde Park in 2017.

The group's special affinity with the UK certainly added to the disappointment they felt over their first Glastonbury headline.

But now, 12 years later, The Killers delivered the ultimate, nostalgic treat in what should be a career highlight for the American stars.